Gradual Petrify(徐々に石化, Jojo ni Sekika?), also known as Slow-numb and Slow Petrify, is a recurring status effect in the Final Fantasy series that causes the character to slowly turn into stone. It can be cured in the same way as Petrify.

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Called Petr, also known as Partial Petrification, in battle, after a few turns the affected character is turned to stone and is unable to act. In the original NES/Famicom version, instead, a character or a monster becomes petrified if inflicted Partial Petrification twice.

It can be removed with the Soft item. Gradual Petrify is accumulative and unique, in that it does nothing on its own, but will inflict Full Petrification once it fully stacks. For example, a character is first 1/3 petrified, then 2/3 petrified, then fully petrified. Full Petrification differs from Petrify in that it requires resistance to Partial Petrification and not Petrify in order to protect against it.

Progresses to Petrify status within time, or after any attack that successfully inflicts any Gradual Petrify effect three times. Higher Stamina or high maximum HP (for monsters only) slows down the timer's progression. Slow also delays worsening, while Haste speeds it.

In the Super Nintendo and PlayStation version, Gradual Petrify 1/3 has the character's legs in stone and Gradual Petrify 2/3 goes up to the character's head. The Game Boy Advance version change the visual effect to that of greyish silver rings surrounding the character that is similar to the paralysis visual status effect.

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Gradual Petrify starts a countdown meter of 10 to appear above the unit's head. When the meter reaches zero, the unit is petrified. Gradual Petrify can be healed by the Soft and Remedy items, Stona and Esuna spell, or it can be prevented altogether by equipping the Jelly support ability.

If Zidane is affected by Gradual Petrify, and the player uses Flee the moment he is going to die from it, he'll still use the ability even though he is petrified, sending the other members to safety.

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Gradual Petrification appears as an effect of the "Calcifying Mist" ability used by Notorious Monster Peistes in the Wings of the Goddess expansion. Afflicted players have their movement speed slowed down during the countdown until fully petrified.

The character is turned to stone and will be unable to move or act once the count reaches 0. Remove with a Gold Needle.

—Description

Petrify slowly turns a character to stone in 10 counts, similar to how Doom slowly kills them. Doom and Petrify can't co-exist on the same character; whichever status the character has first, they are immune to the other. The only exception is using Remedy with Nihopalaoa, which inflicts both Doom and Petrify.

As the timer runs down, the afflicted unit's resistance to physical attacks gradually increases, rendering them almost immune to such attacks when the countdown reaches 1. It can be cured with Esuna, but once the timer runs out and the character turns to Stone, they can only be cured by Stona, a Gold Needle, or a Remedy (once a character has acquired the appropriate Remedy Lorelicense). This trick can be used to survive against foes with powerful physical attacks, though one must be careful with timing the recovery, lest they fully petrify.